Tom Thibodeau is out in New York.
The New York Knicks announced that they relieved their head coach of his duties on Tuesday afternoon.
Thibodeau was the head coach of the Knicks for the last five years, leading them to their best finish and just two wins shy of the NBA Finals this season.
The last time the Knicks won the title was all the way back in 1973.
He made the playoffs in four of his five years and had consecutive 50+ win seasons for the first time since the 1990s.
He was the best Knicks coach in a quarter century — and now he is surprisingly out of a job.
Fans were shocked at the announcement.
“The Knicks are not fixing any of their issues by firing Thibs,” one fan posted on X.
“FIRED AFTER AN ECF APPEARANCE?? WHAT?” another chimed in.
“Help me out Knicks fans what’s the logic behind this?” one more added.
There is speculation as to why the Knicks parted ways with Thibs, and ESN NBA insider Shams Charania revealed that it was simply time for a new voice.
“The Knicks are singularly focused on their pursuit of a championship and believe a new voice will serve as the focus for the organization’s next step, sources said,” Charania posted on X.
Thibs’ coaching style can wear thin on his players, so a new voice may be exactly what the Knicks need.
He plays his starting five to the bone, which can take a toll throughout a long season.
That was evident during the Eastern Conference finals when the Indiana Pacers looked much faster and quicker, running up and down the court.
Now, the Knicks are in the market for a new head coach, and are hoping to find someone that can help take Jalen Brunson to the next level, all while delivering an NBA championship to a city starving for one.
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Meanwhile, the NBA Finals are about to get underway on Thursday evening, between the Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder, Game 1 in OKC.
While Knicks fans wonder who their next head coach will be, they can painfully watch the team who beat them play in the Finals.
“Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans,” Knicks team president Leon Rose said in a statement.
“This pursuit led us to the decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction. We can’t thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach.
“Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future.”
